Search Outcome

118 papers were found using Medline, there was 1 meta-analysis. The search was repeated but limited between 2005 and 1998 giving 35 papers, of which 1 was relevant

Relevant Paper(s)

Author, date and country

Patient group

Study type (level of evidence)

Outcomes

Key results

Study Weaknesses

Mol BW et al1998ENGLAND

26 studies evaluating the performance of a single serum prgesterone measurement in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy

Meta-analysis

Pregnancy failure from viable IUP

Almost perfect specificity with a sensitivity of 60%, or 95% sensitive with a specificity of 40%

No threshold values are given for the above specificities and sensitivities for distinction between pregnancy failure and viable IUP and ectopic pregnancy from non-ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy from non-ectopic

Specificity >90% with a sensitivity of 15% or 95% sensitive with a specificity of <40%

Ruling out pregnancy failure

Threshold value of 20ng/ml: Sensitivity 95% with a specificity of 40%

Buckley RG et al2000UNITED STATES

716 symptomatic first-trimester emergency department patients with abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding at a tertiary care military teaching hospital had progesterone levels measured by radioimmunoassay with results unavailable to the treating physician. All patients were monitored until a criterion standard diagnosis of intrauterine pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy was confirmed